iPhone: Is Apple killing the games?

OK, I know this might be a bit much of a thread for a first post. So please forgive me. I was just thinking about this today. I've been lurking the forum for about a week....I hope this hasn't be discussed before.

So I wonder if Apple is killing the gaming environment of the Touch and iPhone. I just got to thinking about the HORRIBLE layout of the app store. There obviously needs to be a better way to find games. It always cracks me up when I look at "What's new" and it's games that have been out for weeks(as opposed to the 6 games that came out that day). Another problem I have is the pricepoints. Why would anyone want to develop games for this "system" when they can't be expected to make much money. I'll take one of my favorite games for example.....Fieldrunners. They had to make it cheap to make it viable, but it's essentially a demo. I'd pay $10-15 for the same game but with more levels(like, say 10?), evironmental hazards and more options(weapons, enemies, etc.). Most of the games feel incomplete at best. Great ideas, but no execution. And I know why, they can't afford to keep working on these games, especially considering how little return they'll make. I just don't get why Apple advertises the Touch and iPhone as a games system. It has all of the potential in the world, but they seem to be doing everything to keep it from reaching it.

Oh, and on a side note, I'd pay $15-20 for a good game, but I'd have to have some assurance that if something happens to my device that I'll ALWAYS be able to redownload it.

Yes, threads about the poor app store layout have been made. (some)Developers are abusing updates, as when they update, they can change the "date" it made to the app store, and the app store considers it "new".

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Oh, and on a side note, I'd pay $15-20 for a good game, but I'd have to have some assurance that if something happens to my device that I'll ALWAYS be able to redownload it.

All apps are redownloadable for free.

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I'd pay $10-15 for the same game but with more levels(like, say 10?), evironmental hazards and more options(weapons, enemies, etc.). Most of the games feel incomplete at best. Great ideas, but no execution. And I know why, they can't afford to keep working on these games, especially considering how little return they'll make. I just don't get why Apple advertises the Touch and iPhone as a games system. It has all of the potential in the world, but they seem to be doing everything to keep it from reaching it.

True everyone would.
Think of it from dev side. Companies probably don't think they will earn money by making a full game with higher price, thinking no one will buy it (note lots of price drops)

Exactly. The app store is just so new right now developers would definitely be risking a lot of money in order to make a $15-$20 app. Hopefully the app store will still have good $1-$5 pick up and play games, but also have developers create better, more expensive games.

Only time will tell which direction the app store will go and we just have to see what the devs do... But then what the devs do is based on what the consumers buy..... this thing is a mess!

Let me clarify a few things. Redownloading.....my concern is if I go back to the store 2 years from now because I upgraded, or something happened, etc, will the game still be there? That's the problem with digital and why gaming systems haven't really gone that route(other than microtransactions and such).

The other reason I blame Apple is because it's their system yet they let people put any sort of shovelware on it. Imagine how much better this whole thing would work if they only had 5-6 games coming out a month, instead of 5-6 a day. They approve these games right? I'm sure Apple has no problem putting their foot down. Perhaps coming up with a structure for pricing as well. Less games would allow these developers to actually advertise their games and make money. So many good games get lost in the shuffle of crap.

The other reason I blame Apple is because it's their system yet they let people put any sort of shovelware on it. Imagine how much better this whole thing would work if they only had 5-6 games coming out a month, instead of 5-6 a day. They approve these games right? I'm sure Apple has no problem putting their foot down. Perhaps coming up with a structure for pricing as well. Less games would allow these developers to actually advertise their games and make money. So many good games get lost in the shuffle of crap.

But what happens when a lot of developers make really good games, and then realize a new app with the same concept comes out a week before them, even though they were submitted one day apart from each other, and the first app gets all the sales, and the 2nd game is better but people already spent money on the first one. It's kinda hard to explain, but I don't think this would work

My guess is that Apple is not blind to these issues. Effective implementation however would mean over-hauling the entire App store. Perhaps this is something they are waiting to do post an announcement of "How well the App Store has done" at Macworld SF 2009. After which Steve can then say, " and here's how we plan to make it even better..."

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"Dream as though you will live forever; live as though you would die today."

The problem is that the average person buying these games doesn't know about this site. Most iPhone game reviews aren't in mainstream magazines or sites. The problem is we can't say "We'll speak with our wallets" because the dumb masses do......and they buy the crap. I look at the hot sellers and I just scratch my head. It's hard though because most places don't review iPhone games. You have to search them out. A lot of reviews and info I've come across here and there. I think Apple shouldn't have released the App Store until it was 100% and they were truly commited to it. It just seems like Jobs talks about the Touch and iPhone as if they were gaming devices. It appears he doesn't know squat about gaming, lol.

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